Views on the news...

Never have the lines between good journalism, comment and fake news become so blurred...

If you care about dogs like I do, you'd have to be shocked by the callous trade in designer puppies that seems to be growing around the world. There has been a lot in the media lately about people, some criminal gangs, breeding puppies for profit. The mums are just puppy-producing machines, typically kept in appalling conditions. The puppies are often born with health conditions caused by careless breeding and diseases caught by being kept in filthy conditions where bugs spread. Some die within days of purchase.

Animal welfare agencies are asking people not to buy puppies online or from pet shops, which are often supplied by 'puppy farms'. If you want a puppy or dog, think about getting one from a rescue centre. And be aware that some breeds like pugs and French Bulldogs, made popular by celebrities, have problems such as breathing difficulties caused by their flat faces. Don't encourage the mass breeding and suffering of these animals by feeding this demand. Dogs are not accessories and possessions, they are living creatures who deserve better.